Silent Conversations
by Kitsune Kitten
Summary: Battle City changed their lives forever. For Ryou, it meant falling in love. For Bakura, it meant losing everything, but gaining the one thing he didn't expect.


Kitsune Kitten: This is my first One-shot. I don't know where I got the idea . . . but here it is.  
  
This fic is about how Bakura handles defeat at Battle City. And about how he treats Ryou.  
  
I hope you enjoy it. I don't usually do subjects other than humor so I hope you enjoy.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!  
  
Warnings: Shonen ai at the end. Depressing in a way.  
  
Silent Conversations  
  
Ryou POV  
  
I unlocked the door. Battle City had finally ended. I had gone to a hospital for a few days. Now, all I had was a scar and some lingering pain and drowsiness. The Ring had been returned to me once again. How it came back I'll never know.  
  
The house was quiet. I don't know what I expected but it was so familiar and distant at the same time. Everything was just as I left it. Well, considerably dustier but the same.  
  
I closed the door behind me and moved forward pretending nothing was wrong. But there was something nagging at me in a tiny corner of my mind. Bakura, the spirit in the Ring, had not talked to me since Battle City, and I wondered why he had protected me from that Monster.  
  
With a large sigh, I moved to the kitchen. I placed the orange container with my painkillers in it next to the fridge. Unfortunately, before I could take any, I had to eat. But I really wanted to talk to Bakura. Why, why, the question plagued my mind like never before.  
  
There was a flash of light from the Ring. Bakura appeared. He seemed solid, so very solid not at all like he usually seemed when he appeared.  
  
I wanted to touch him. Was he real now? I reached out a hand, slowly. Inches away now. I pulled it back harshly as if I had slapped. Yet Bakura just stared.  
  
Now it was awkward. I wanted to ask him. I had to ask him. I needed to know. But I couldn't make my mouth work.  
  
"If you die, then I cease to exist. I can not die." He answered.  
  
"You're so . . ." I wanted to argue.  
  
"I've grown stronger." Was all he said. He stopped and resumed staring.  
  
I couldn't break away. Not even flinch. He seemed to be searching through my soul and given our situation he could. But that didn't mean I didn't like it. I felt I ought to turn. To make a sandwich, start soup, anything so he wouldn't look at me.  
  
"You made me this way." He whispered briefly. He turned away and headed into the living room. I could hear the TV. I didn't recognize the voices but I didn't care.  
  
I made him this way? What kind of statement was that? How did I do that? With one question answered I had a dozen more.  
  
I let out the breath I hadn't realized I had been holding. I turned to make something but I couldn't. I glanced at the time. It was seven at night.  
  
"Bakura?" I called from the kitchen.  
  
A grunt was my reply.  
  
"Are you hungry? I'm ordering pizza." I called again.  
  
"Yes."  
  
I felt lonely despite the fact he was there. He was so brief, so quiet, a mystery.  
  
I ordered the pizza. Twenty minutes later, I answered the door to get the pizza. To my great surprise, it was Marik and his yami.  
  
"Hello." I said, knowing my voice sounded puzzled.  
  
"Er, hey. I just wanted to apologize to you. I didn't mean to get you caught up in this, now that I think back." Marik said.  
  
"Quite alright. I just ordered pizza. I only ordered one but I can call out for some more." I told them. I didn't really want to have company over, and I could tell Bakura didn't want to see anyone.  
  
"No, I just wanted to apologize. And, well, is Bakura here too?" Marik asked.  
  
Somehow, he had snuck up behind me in the foyer. He looked livid.  
  
"Leave," he hissed, slamming the door.  
  
"Bakura," I managed to say.  
  
"I lost. That's all there is to it." He growled.  
  
He took off to the den. It was nicer than the living room. It had a computer, a big screen TV and all the latest technology for entertainment. There we stored the leather furniture. That was meant for special occasions, like parties. Only I never had parties.  
  
Bakura locked me out. I ate pizza alone. I ate two slices and stored the rest in the fridge. There was nothing else in there. I would have to go shopping.  
  
I went to bed knowing it was only eight. But the painkillers I swallowed after the pizza knocked me out until ten the next morning.  
  
I got up and went to eat some left over pizza to find four slices were missing. And I only ate two. I wandered over to the den and knocked. I could hear a movie playing but Bakura didn't answer.  
  
I sighed. I had been doing that a lot lately.  
  
I decided to go out to eat and then shop. I knocked again louder. If Bakura had been sleeping, he would certainly wake up now.  
  
"I'm going out to eat. Do you want to come with me?" I demanded.  
  
"No." Bakura grunted.  
  
I leaned my forehead against the door. This was so frustrating. I was so lonely and he just left me. I was angry. But I just took a deep breath and left.  
  
Bakura POV  
  
I had fallen asleep last night without eating. Unfortunately, in my solid form, I had to eat to sustain my body. I went to the kitchen and ate two triangles of that pizza. I walked back to the den and locked the door again.  
  
I didn't want to see my hikari. Or hear him. Or even know he existed. He was my only weakness. If someone killed him, I was done. That was it. Game over.  
  
And the worst part was . . . I had grown feelings for him.  
  
He knocked on the door. All I had to do was ignore him.  
  
He knocked louder, probably waking the dead. No pun intended.  
  
"I'm going out to eat. Do you want to come with me?" his gentle voice sweetened with that accent called out.  
  
"No." I decided going out would be bad. I didn't want him to realize how I felt about him.  
  
So, I stayed there determined to ignore him by watching movies. I knew everything he knew and thus could play the movies and understand them. But the covers, the letters I used to be able to read looked blurrier. As if I was squinting too hard to read them.  
  
I didn't care. I just watched movie after movie.  
  
Ryou POV  
  
I came home from shopping with lots of food. I had bought only what I could carry. I had gotten the cheapest and lightest food I could find.  
  
I unpacked the bags. I had a feeling that this would continue for a long time. And it did. Not unloading the groceries.  
  
Bakura ignored me for months. Three and a half months after I had unloaded the groceries, he unlocked the door. Coincidentally, I had just finished shopping and was unloading the groceries.  
  
He came into the kitchen. I usually ate in there, so I had moved in a table and two chairs, just in case. He sat in the one I had left for him.  
  
I continued with my groceries pretending I didn't notice him. But I did, and he knew.  
  
Finally, I placed a box of cereal in a cabinet and finished. I turned and looked at him. He stared back with those eyes of his. Everyone says that if you look in someone's eyes you can see what they're really feeling. I stared into those eyes. And I couldn't tell anything as if he had somehow learned how to shield himself.  
  
"I want my own room." He stated. It wasn't a question, nor was it a demand. It was the truth plain and simple.  
  
"You seem to like the den." I replied, feeling a struggle between frustration, anger, loneliness, and happiness going on inside me.  
  
"No. I hate the den. But the door locks," he said, slowly as if he wanted me to hang onto every word he said. And I did.  
  
"The bedroom next to mine locks." I informed him. I was hungry. I wondered if he was too but didn't ask. I tried not to concentrate on him.  
  
He distracted me. I knew that I had been angry with him for ignoring me. Because I loved him. I then I was angry at myself because I fell in love with a person I could never have a chance with.  
  
"Does it have a window?" Bakura wanted to know.  
  
"Yes." I answered, brief as he usually was.  
  
"I want that one." He said simply.  
  
"You can have it. There's no one else here. Just you and me." I said, sensing frustration and loneliness winning.  
  
"Just you and me." He echoed with a different tone.  
  
I wondered what he thought. But I'd never know nor would I ever ask.  
  
Bakura POV  
  
Just you and me, Ryou had said. And for some reason I had repeated it. And know it echoed around my head in his tone. He had sounded like it was just him and I wasn't there. I couldn't take it anymore.  
  
I walked into my new bedroom. I locked the door. There was already a bed in there. I wondered why. I could ask him. But I couldn't.  
  
He had taken over my thoughts so much more than he realized.  
  
How could someone so kind, so nice, so innocent, so beautiful, let me stay? Why didn't he throw me out? Did he forgive me? Did he even care? Was he so lonely that just letting me stay here was comforting?  
  
I curled up on the bed. The room was a bright white. There was a bookshelf to my right. And a desk to my left. And a door in front of me. I assumed it was a closet. I wasn't sure, so I looked in. It was empty but a closet nonetheless. I had to talk to Ryou because I needed more.  
  
Clothes and such. And help to read again. But most of all, I needed Ryou.  
  
Ryou POV  
  
I knew he needed clothes. But I was shocked when he came down two weeks later and stated he needed some. I heaved a sigh. This was getting on my nerves.  
  
"Why don't you go downtown and see if you find some clothes you like?" I asked him.  
  
"I can't handle money." He stated.  
  
"I taught you before Battle City." I returned.  
  
Before Battle City now seemed a different time. We had started making progress until the new tournament was announced. I disliked Kaiba. But I had forgiven Marik and his yami. How odd.  
  
"Letters, I can't read the letters." He answered, sounding upset.  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked, curious. My curiosity annoyed him but I had to know.  
  
Bakura POV  
  
I had to tell him about the letters.  
  
"They're blurry. I can't see them properly."  
  
I hung my head down. I was weakening. The defeat in Battle City was destroying my life, as I knew it. If I had just trusted that Yugi wouldn't hurt Ryou . . . .  
  
But no. Now I was nothing more than energy and spirit. I was defeated. There was no purpose being alive other than him.  
  
And I couldn't tell him the truth.  
  
Ryou POV  
  
He needed glasses. Glasses. I couldn't get him glasses. We didn't have insurance and even if we did, Bakura didn't have any ID.  
  
I needed help. And I knew who could help now. The last person I didn't want to go to.  
  
Seto Kaiba.  
  
We stood in front of Kaiba Corp. I heaved a loud sigh and pushed open the door. I walked to the secretary who was checking her eye shadow. I needed to see Kaiba. And the only way to see him was through her.  
  
I put on a charming smile that would woo anyone. I stopped at her desk and pretended to be awed by her beauty.  
  
"Kaiba Corp. What can I do for you?" she asked, rather rudely.  
  
"My, that eye shadow brings out the true beauty in your eyes." I said, employing my accent as much as I could.  
  
"Thank you. What do you want kid?" she demanded.  
  
"Why, you look so young I could call you kid. But that would be so rude to someone of your perfection." I said.  
  
She smiled finally. I knew I could pull it off.  
  
"As much as I would love to spend the rest of the day, marveling how wonderful and beautiful you are, I must see Mr. Kaiba." I informed here.  
  
"Aha, you little snake. You just wanted to see Mr. Kaiba." She said.  
  
"Actually, he requested I come," I lied.  
  
"Then, I would know." She challenged.  
  
"Actually, he made this a secret meeting. See I have a new invention that just might make his interest. But it's top secret." I whispered. "And you wouldn't want to insult me or I just might take it to Mr. Otogi."  
  
"No, sir. I'll just inform him you're on his way." She said.  
  
"Actually, I called him a minute ago right outside. He knows I'm on the way. But unfortunately, I don't know where his office—"  
  
"Take the elevator to the forty-third floor. That's his office. But who's he?" she demanded.  
  
"Ah, but that's top secret," I lied.  
  
I pulled him along to the elevator. He gave me an odd look as we waited.  
  
"Since when do you lie?" he hissed.  
  
"I don't lie. I'm in Drama Club. I'd call it acting," I said, feeling smug that I pulled it off.  
  
Silence presided in the elevator. The journey was long as people kept coming in and going out. Eventually we reached the top.  
  
Kaiba was hunched over a laptop. His desk was large, covered in papers. He straightened when he heard the elevator ding and open.  
  
His eyes widened in surprise; then narrowed in anger.  
  
"How'd you get in here?" Kaiba demanded.  
  
"He charmed you secretary," Bakura said.  
  
"Give me one reason I shouldn't call Security." Seto demanded.  
  
"Because you owe me big for what happened at Battle City. Bakura stole the blimp's security tapes, and we'll show everyone who you truly are. Every person who got hurt will have their revenge as the police and every citizen here watch as you maliciously enjoy the pain of others." I threatened.  
  
"I doubt it very much, but I'm interested in hearing you out now. What do you want?" Kaiba demanded, closing the lid to his computer.  
  
"Bakura needs glasses. I want you to get him a pair. I don't have money to pay for glasses nor insurance for an optometrist." I stated, hoping I sounded braver than I felt.  
  
"And so you want me to get him glasses." Kaiba asked, incredulously. "Do I look like Mother Teresa or something?"  
  
"Maybe I can give you something in return?" I pleaded. "All I ask is that he gets an optometrist appointment and new glasses. And you're the only one who has enough power to get him an appointment without ID."  
  
"Bakura go downstairs. Ryou and I are about to . . . negotiate." Seto ordered.  
  
Bakura threw a warning glance at Kaiba but walked to the elevator as he was instructed.  
  
"All right, Ryou. In exchange for getting Bakura his stupid glasses, you owe me." He stated.  
  
"Agreed." I answered.  
  
He got up and slowly stalked toward me. My nerves caught on fire and I backed up instinctively. But he just advanced at the same pace. I kept walking until I was pressed against the wall. I wished Bakura would do something, and then reminded myself Bakura needed those glasses. Not just for his eyes. He needed to be able to see. Being even partially blind would be a weakness to him and he just couldn't suffer defeat anymore.  
  
Seto loomed over me as I pressed against the wall.  
  
Suddenly, his lips were on mine. I was not scared anymore. I was pissed. I shoved him away.  
  
"You—you pig!" I screamed. "You just stole my first kiss!"  
  
"You said you would give me something in return," Seto replied evenly.  
  
"That wasn't what I meant! You better get him those glasses or I'll sue you for sexual harassment or something!" I said, trying not to cry. I went into the elevator and let the tears flow.  
  
Bakura POV  
  
The elevator didn't stop on its way down. I was glad because I could think.  
  
What if Seto tried to hurt Ryou? Ryou wasn't strong. Seto could easily overpower him. I tried not to worry but I didn't want anyone touching Ryou . . . . Anyone besides me.  
  
I opened the link to try and figure out what was going on. I felt fear, then anger. Then, overwhelming sadness. The elevator dinged on ground level.  
  
I only waited two minutes before another elevator came down. Ryou stumbled out and walked by me.  
  
He had indeed been hurt. And it was all my fault.  
  
I followed Ryou out. He was crying. His shoulders shook slightly and I saw droplets of water on the ground as I walked the same path as he did.  
  
He reached the house first and unlocked the door. In his delay, I caught up to him.  
  
"Ryou, did he—"I started.  
  
Ryou ignored me and walked into the house. He headed for the bathroom and locked the door. I heard the water in the sink running.  
  
I hurt him again. I began feeling my self-hatred welling up again. Ever since I had lost to that stupid pharaoh, all I did was mess up his life. All I wanted was to tell him the truth.  
  
But I still couldn't.  
  
Ryou POV  
  
I washed away the looks of a tear-stained face. I tried to ignore Bakura but I couldn't. He was outside the door and I would have to face him to get out.  
  
I opened the door. He was leaning on the wall left of the door. But when I opened the door, he stood in front of me. And he stared with those unreadable eyes.  
  
"What?" I snapped.  
  
"I'm . . . sorry," he apologized, sounding sincere.  
  
I looked in his eyes again to see the sadness and the need for forgiveness.  
  
"For . . . everything," he added.  
  
"I forgive you. I already had. I can't be mad at you." I confessed.  
  
"I just needed to hear it." He whispered, sounding hoarse as if holding back something he wanted to say. He looked sad.  
  
I did something risky and foolish. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. I was hugging him.  
  
"Ryou . . ." he whispered right next to my ear sending shivers down my spine.  
  
"I love you," I said softly.  
  
He pulled away and ran upstairs. Whether he ran from me or the truth, I couldn't figure out.  
  
Bakura POV  
  
He loves me. I put him through so much and he still loved me. Why?  
  
I didn't understand nor did I want to. But I did want to return his feelings. No, I didn't want to, I did return his feelings.  
  
But I couldn't say it. I knew it. But somehow, saying it wasn't right. I hadn't proved it. It would just be me saying I loved him. I had to prove it.  
  
Ryou POV  
  
I didn't know what I expected to happen. But I guess that I wasn't surprised that he ran. If he said that to me out of the blue, I'd be pretty shocked. But that didn't mean I wasn't upset. I went up to my room and opened my journal.  
  
I poured out my soul to the tiny leather-covered book. Then, I lay down on my bed and cried.  
  
Bakura POV  
  
I heard the scratching of a pen for a while. Then, that stopped and I heard the squeak of mattress springs. I went over to the wall separating my hikari and me.  
  
That's when I heard him crying. Was he crying over me?  
  
I don't know. Was he crying because Kaiba hurt him?  
  
I decided it was time I become the yami he wants and go in to comfort him. So, I opened my door. In the hallway, I got nervous.  
  
What if Kaiba had hurt him pretty bad and I just walked out? I couldn't take it. I threw open Ryou's door. He jumped and curled into fetal position. A last tear leaked from his doe eyes.  
  
"Ryou." I said. I didn't know what else to say.  
  
Ryou POV  
  
I was shocked to see him there. I didn't want to talk to him, but I had to.  
  
"Why are you crying?" asked Bakura.  
  
"He stole my first kiss." I answered trying to sound nonchalant but a fresh wave of tears hit.  
  
Bakura wrapped his arms about me. I cried into his chest for a while.  
  
"Ryou, I love you." He said.  
  
I stopped crying. My heart had taken to racing at a dangerous speed.  
  
"You—you do?" I stuttered.  
  
His lips were suddenly on mine. His lips were rough. But they were gentle on mine. Suddenly, his tongue was on my lips. I opened my mouth.  
  
And that's when I knew everything would be okay. Suddenly, those months of isolation and loneliness were all worth it. He hid the truth from me but know I knew. He loved me and nothing could change that.  
  
Bakura POV  
  
As we kissed, I realized how much I wanted this. He put up with me because he loved me. So now I would show him this was worth it. I also realized why he put up with me.  
  
And that was a good feeling. It was no longer a weakness.  
  
THE END  
  
KK: Um, long but we enjoyed writing it.  
  
Not the best ever, but good. 


End file.
